Part III

PAUL'S CONFIDENCE

In spite of all the things that had, and was transpiring, Paul have a firm confidence. ". . . Nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day" (1:12). Paul's confidence was not in what he believed, but in Whom! Paul's confidence was in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ!

HOLD ON TO PAUL'S WORDS

Paul encourages Timothy to "hold fast the form of sound words, which thou has heard of me" (1:13). Paul presents his epistles as the divine pattern. Timothy was exhorted not to abandon the actual words of Paul, for some new, improved, "politically correct" ones. The actual recorded words of Paul are the divine standard of our dispensation. "Standard" is the definition the of this word "form" (Arndt and Gingrichg's Greek-English Lexicon).

Paul's epistles are the divine standard of truth for our age. Everything must be measured by it, whether it be teaching or practice!

ALL HEARD; ALL TURNED AWAY Paul had spent a two year teaching ministry in the capital city of the Roman province of Asia, the result of which was that, "all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:10). But now, he states that, "all they which are in Asia be turned away from me" (1:15). Now the church in Asia was in wholesale apostasy.

TURNED AWAY FROM PAUL

The Asian saints had turned away from Paul. This apostasy was from Paul, and his revelation and authority. This was what was at issue. It was what had been forsaken. They had not abandoned "Christendom" (in fact they had established it!) but they had abandoned Paul.

BE STRONG IN GRACE

Because of this condition of apostasy in the body of Christ ("therefore" 2:1), Paul admonished Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." The answer to standing would be found in grace. This is where Timothy need to be strong. That needed to be his focus and emphasis. But grace is also where Timothy needed to find his strength. Paul could tell this to Timothy, not as just a theory, but as a life. Paul had firsthand experience with the power of grace (read II Corinthians 12:8-10)!

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